Leamington, Ontario: Hydro One Inc. announced June 13 that it will be supporting expansion of the greenhouse industry in southwestern Ontario through the development and construction of a new 230 kilovolt transmission line from Chatham to Leamington, as requested by the Independent Electricity System Operator.
"A safe, strong and reliable transmission system will support economic growth, jobs and a fast-growing industry heavily dependent on electricity," said Mark Poweska, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hydro One. "We have been listening to our customers and working with our industry partners to support the thriving greenhouse industry and Leamington's growing economy. This substantial investment to increase the availability of power will allow for more than 40 medium-sized greenhouses to start-up and grow."
Expected to be completed by the end of 2025, the new line will bring an additional 400 megawatts of power to the area.
In addition to the new transmission line, Hydro One has already responded to the rapid growth of the greenhouse industry with a multi-stage investment designed to add 600 megawatts to the Leamington area. Approximately $193 million has been approved to be invested in the area to-date through the construction of a new transmission station that was recently completed, a second station under construction and a third in the planning stages. Combined with the new transmission line, Hydro One's work is expected to increase the amount of available power in the region by 1,000 megawatts, enough to power a city about the size of Ottawa.
Hydro One will start working on the development portion of this project, which includes a preliminary engineering design, an estimated cost, public and Indigenous consultation and the Environmental Assessment.